During rapid thermal processing (RTP) of substrates, thermal radiation is generally used to rapidly heat a substrate in a controlled environment to a maximum temperature of up to about 1350° C. This maximum temperature is maintained for a specific amount of time ranging from less than one second to several minutes depending on the particular process. The substrate is then cooled to room temperature for further processing.
High voltage, e.g., about 40 volts to about 130 volts, tungsten halogen lamps are commonly used as the source of heat radiation in RTP chambers. Current lamp assembly designs include a lamp body, a bulb, and a base coupled to the lamp body. The lamp base mates to a receptacle on a printed circuit board (PCB) structure, facilitating easy removal and replacement of the lamp assembly. When the bulb fails (typically the fuse or the filament within the bulb), the entire lamp assembly including the base coupled to the lamp body needs to be replaced even though the base itself is functioning properly. Replacement of a functional base due to a faulty bulb causes unnecessary waste and expense.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide an improved lamp design to reduce cost and provide ability to adjust height of the lamps as needed.